GENESEE COUNTY, Michigan -- A study by the county Planning Commission says all types of crashes have been on the decline on roads that were narrowed in recent years.

County planners have been suggesting several existing four-lane roads are good candidates to be narrowed because they are carrying less traffic than when the streets were originally designed.

Some roads already have been reduced in width and wider shoulders or parking added, including King Boulevard from Fifth Avenue to Welch Boulevard in Flint.

The "Complete Streets Technical Report" says the average annual reductions after conversions from four to three lanes were 31.8 percent for head-on crashes, 35.3 percent for rear-end crashes and 32.8 percent for same-side, side-swap crashes.